Lesson 9 : Joseph Campbell
Fine art education is not a linear path, you are zigging and zagging until you the moment "you see your art." Most likely for about 8 years you will study with very little money and few resources, you will rely on the goodness and compassion of your instructors to share information and act as a guiding light. There are some extremely kind art educators out there and they have been in your shoes, they will help you continue your studies and assist you in finding resources so you can continue on your way.
Not to be a downer here, but there are some shity art instructors out there as well, they are part of the dark side of art. Greed, envy, and pride cloud their vision and I suggest you move on from them as fast as possible, they will only create unnecessary obstacles. This career path is difficult enough, you don't need to take their shit.
Overall the art world is kind and as Joseph Campbell says "If you are doing what is in your heart, doors will open for you where there will be no doors for others." As "art obstacles" emerged (tragic events do not apply here), I would watch Joseph Campbell DVDs and read his books and they help.
For example, at one point on my journey, I was living with my grandparents in Ocean City, NJ and I would wake up at 4:00am, drive with my grandparents for 30 mins to Atlantic City to catch a 6am bus to NYC (I had no car), go to my art classes 9am -5pm, take the bus back down to AC, cash in the casino voucher for a free casino bus trip from NYC to AC (making my bus trip free one way), drive back to Ocean City getting home around 9pm, and it was eat-sleep-repeat. I did this 5 days a week and worked on the weekends for a year. Eventually I was offered a scholarship to attend a new school opening up. It was the most incredible school I ever attended, Janus Collaborative School of Art.
This opportunity would have not been there if the instructors were assholes and I was not pressing, but the instructors were extremely kind and I tried to outwork everyone I met.
Read Campbell's books and watch his DVDs they will help.
(I was 26 years when I lived my grandparents, I had graduated from UPENN/PAFA and was recently offered a full time teaching position that paid $900 a week. I turned it down because my studies were not complete and I needed to study with Stephen Perkins in NYC to become a sculptor. DO NOT SETTLE)